群际接触理论的新进展:想象性接触假说

The Hypothesis of Imagined Contact:The Latest Progress in Intergroup Contact Theory

想象性群际接触假说是传统群际接触理论的进一步发展和完善,想象性群际接触假说采用实验法开展研究,认为从心理上模拟与外群体成员的接触也能够改善群际关系。试验结果表明:想象性接触能够促进群际容忍,能激发与外群体接触的意愿等积极的群体心理现象。该理论弥补了传统群际接触理论的不足。通过情感机制和认知机制产生想象性群际接触效应,影响接触效应的因素来自想象任务方面和知觉者本身的特征与经验。整合传统的群际接触理论和想象性接触理论,将其转变为具体的社会干预措施,是未来该领域研究的重要方向。

The hypothesis of imagined intergroup contact is a development as well as an improvement of the traditional intergroup theory. Adopting the experimental method, the hypothesis suggests that a psychologically simulant contact with other groups can also improve the intergroup relations. A lot of studies have shown that imagined intergroup contact can lead to some active psychological phenomena between social groups, such as increasing the intergroup tolerance and arousing the wilhng of intergroup contact. In this way, the hypothesis makes up for the deficiency of the traditional intergroup theory. Imagined intergroup contact effects occur mainly through emotional or cognitive path. The effects of imagined contact effects will depend upon the task-focused moderator on the one hand, and upon the perceiver＇ s relevant experiences and characteristics on the other. The future direction of the related studies lies in integrating traditional intergroup contact theory and imagined contact theory so as to develop specific social interventions.